Performance of broilers and layers fed crab meal and other substances for improving utilization of diets containing whey or cellulose PublicDeposited

Descriptions

Several experiments involving broilers and laying hens
were conducted to study the effects of feeding crab meal,
dried whey and cellulose. The positive responses of crab
meal as a substance for improving the utilization of dried
whey and cellulose were examined. Cellulose treated with
concentrated H3PO4 in broiler diets and diets supplemented
with zinc bacitracin for both broiler and laying hens were
studied. The TME-values of broiler diets were evaluated.
Performance effects of broilers which were inoculated with
bifidobacteria and fed diets containing crab meal,
cellulose and dried whey were also investigated.
In broiler experiments, satisfactory performance was
obtained when crab meal was used in broiler starter diets
at 2, 4 and 8% levels. No adverse effects on growth were
observed when chicks were fed a 20% whey diet, however wet
droppings were observed. Supplementation with crab meal
had no beneficial effect on the utilization of whey.
In studies with cellulose, significant depression
(P<.05) in growth and feed conversion was associated with
the inclusion of 10 and 15% cellulose. However, feed
consumption was not affected. The addition of 4% crab meal
appears to result in improvement on growth and feed
efficiency with the 10% level but not at the 15% level of
cellulose. Treatment of cellulose with concentrated H3PO4
did not provide a beneficial effect on fiber utilization
by chicks. A supplement of zinc bacitracin at 27.5 and 55
ppm levels on 4% crab meal, 10% of cellulose, and 4% crab
meal plus 10% cellulose-containing diets had positive
effects on broiler performance.
The TME-value of the control diet was comparable to
those of the 4% crab meal diet. The TME-value of the 10%
cellulose (SF) was significantly lower (P<.01) than the
control. The addition of 4% crab meal failed to increase
the TME-value of the 10% cellulose (SF) diet.
The performance of broiler chicks inoculated with
Bifidobacteria pseudolongum was comparable to those of the
uninoculated chicks as compared in the same dietary
treatments except the 4% crab meal diet, the inoculated
chicks were slightly heavier in weight, but had
significantly (P<.05) higher feed consumption and poorer feed efficiency than those of the control chicks.
In a laying hen experiment, birds fed the 4% crab meal
diet showed satisfactory reproductive performance. Egg
production and efficiency of feed utilization were
numerically better than those of the control birds.
Feeding a 10% shavings diet did not have any adverse
effect on hen egg production, external and internal egg
quality or body weight. However, a significant increase
(P<.05) on feed consumption and feed per dozen eggs were
noted that could be accounted for on the basis of diet
dilution. Egg yolk cholesterol was not affected as birds
fed either 5 or 10% shavings. The addition of crab meal
had no beneficial effects on utilization of fiber by
laying hens. Diets supplemented with zinc bacitracin did
not appear to have a positive effect on reproductive
performance of layers.